DULUTH — One of the University of Minnesota's governing board members asked to suspend the hiring of Rachel Croson as the university's next provost over a lengthy sexual harassment investigation into a faculty member at the Michigan university where she is a dean.

The Board of Regents voted 9-2 to shoot down the resolution — which stated "questions remain about the handling of the matter" — following a tense exchange.

"I just want to make sure we're getting what we thought we were getting," said Regent Michael Hsu, who introduced the resolution toward the end of the board's meeting in Duluth Friday. "I don't think I'm smearing anybody."

Croson is set to become executive vice president and provost on March 30. She is currently dean of Michigan State University's College of Social Science.

A professor of anthropology there is the subject of a sexual harassment complaint that has not been resolved, according to the Detroit News, which reported he had more than 1,000 pieces of sexually explicit imagery on his computer, made sexual remarks to a subordinate and was still teaching in the current spring semester.

Hsu said he would like more information on how Croson has handled the complaint, but Regent Ken Powell said "it's a confidential Title IX process."

Vince Tuss, Star Tribune
Regent Michael Hsu

Hsu said that if "we as a board of an institution cannot have any more information about the person that we're hiring to be our provost, I think that's a problem."

Several regents, and U President Joan Gabel, defended Croson's hiring.

"Rachel Croson's expertise is as a nationally recognized leader in the prevention of sexual misconduct. This is a cornerstone of why I recommended her to you," Gabel said. "I see zero reason to do anything but be grateful that we have someone of this caliber joining us as a leader and as a part of our community."

Croson's hire originally attracted controversy for her annual salary — more than $500,000 a year including a professorship — and Hsu was one of the four regents who voted against her hiring in December.

Brooks Johnson • 218-491-6496